Mar 20, 2014

Studio Highlight: Johanna Grawunder

Over the last few weeks Parachute Market Creative Director Coryander Friend visited several creative studios in and around Los Angeles, to discuss passions, inspirations, and other sometimes light-hearted topics. Each of the artists highlighted will be showcased at the upcoming Parachute Market design fair, taking place March 22 and 23, at 405 Mateo St, in DTLA. For more info and to purchase tickets, visit http://parachutemarket.com.

Coryander:

Johanna Grawunder is a very successful artist and designer who’s done loads of installations and custom projects. Her work is impeccable, super modern and slick. She was in Milan when I reached out to her and it turns out she really believes in what we are doing with Parachute and decided to participate. We are thrilled to have her! She adds a higher-end artistic element to the show.

The installation being showcased this weekend was originally created at Workshop in San Francisco, and is being brought in specifically for Parachute Market. Johanna work is a prime example of the direction I would like to take the fair in the future.

C: If you could only use one tool for the rest of your life, what would it be?

J: Pencil or shovel.

C: What is the weirdest place you seek inspiration from and where do you go to get inspired?

J: Monster truck jams, Nascar are the weirdest. More often I hang out in hardware stores.

C: Do you have a mentor? What drew you to that person?

J: No mentor, but I had a master, Sottsass. Opened my mind to the possibilities of design to improve quality of life and to also see design as a medium for social and political commentary.

C: What’s the least designed part of your life?

J: My wardrobe.

C: What’s the most embarrassing object you would like to design?

J: A muscle car.

C: What’s your favorite word?

J: Scooter.

C: If you could only eat one thing for breakfast for the rest of the year, what would it be?

J: Mango.

C: What is needed most that you feel is missing in design today?

L: Sex.

C: What is the most uplifting part of being a designer?

J: Making people and clients happy or better, in love. And seeing my designs realized by expert artisans.